Progress in fight against massive California wildfire
As the long battle continues, firefighters are making progress Wednesday morning in their fight against California's massive Rocky Fire, thanks to cooler conditions and a little rain.
The fire has burned 67,000 acres and covers 100-square miles north of San Francisco. The flames are now 20 percent contained, but as one firefighter said, they're not "out of the woods yet," reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy.
Firefighters said they're now focusing on the northern part of the fire that crossed Highway 20 on Monday. Ground crews worked aggressively through the night with bulldozers in hopes of containing that part of the fire late Wednesday.
In total, there are nearly 30 major wildfires burning in the western U.S. One fast-moving wildfire forced residents out of their homes in Washington state.
The entire town of Roosevelt, which is about 130 miles east of Portland and has a population of approximately 300 people, needed to be evacuated. So far no injuries have been reported.
In Clearlake, California, fire crews worked through the night to contain the Rocky Fire, lighting spot fires to burn off dry vegetation. Overcast skies and some scattered rain Tuesday bought them time to build more containment lines.
State firefighters public information officer Jay Smith said time was very critical and pointed out where crews dug containment lines to stop the spread of the fire.
But the fire, now burning for a week in dry trees and grass, has been unpredictable.
"I have never seen a fire move like this," Smith said. "At a vantage point like this, when you look out, you can see the devastation and it's shocking."
This fire has already jumped a major containment line and is still threatening nearly 7,000 structures, including Bob Jones' home.
"The fire was burning a hundred feet in the air," Jones said.
Despite dangerously close flames, he refused to evacuate because he said firefighters are not far away.
At the Willow Fire further south, homeowners forced to evacuate are now returning, only to find their homes were broken into.
Carol Pace said someone got in through her window and stole her jewelry.
"I feel violated because someone was in here when I wasn't here and looked through all my drawers," she said.
But back at the Rocky Fire, fire trucks are lining neighborhood streets, a sacrifice not forgotten by those who live here.
